"He continues to score and break records. He will always be a legend" - Portugal star heaps praise on Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese forward Andre Silva has stated that it was always his dream to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo for the national team. The Al-Nassr superstar may be in the final phase of his career, but continues to be decisive for his country.
Few players can match Ronaldo's longevity in the modern game. The Portuguese icon emerged through the ranks at Sporting more than two decades ago before taking the world by storm.
Since then, Cristiano Ronaldo has captured the imagination of fans worldwide and earned the admiration of his colleagues and teammates. The 39-year-old continues to dominate headlines and recently crossed the 900-goal mark.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Silva labeled his countryman as a legend of the game.
"We talked more when we played together in the National Team. It was a dream to play alongside him in Portugal, he always supported me. The truth is that the years go by, choices are made and he continues to set and break records. He will always be a legend," said Silva.
After achieving great success with Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, Ronaldo moved to the Middle East in December 2022 to join Al-Nassr. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has since scored 71 goals from 81 games for the Saudi Arabian club.
Ronaldo's contract with Al-Nassr expires at the end of this season. However, acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano has already stated that the player is expected to sign a new deal with the Riyadh-based side.
How many goals has Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal?
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 135 goals from 217 games for Portugal so far in his career. The player has also registered 35 assists for the national team to date.
Ronaldo's first goal for his country came in his eighth cap, against Greece at Euro 2004. While Portugal lost the game 2-1, it would mark the start of a beautiful journey.
The player scored his 50th goal for his nation against Ghana at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which helped secure a 2-1 win. The former Real Madrid man scored his 100th and 101st goal in a 2-0 win over Sweden in the UEFA Nations League in September 2020.
The player also scored a brace in his national colours in the 5-0 win over Poland in the UEFA Nation's League Group A tie earlier this month.